Innovation pays off for longtime cotton farmer

Wed, 2011-02-23 13:23

Howard Wuertz's parents planted their first crop in Arizona more than 80 years ago, and Wuertz can mark the passage of time through the growing seasons. Plant the seeds in March, last water in September, harvest in October or November, depending on the weather.

From the Arizona Republic:

Howard Wuertz has been watching the cotton grow on his family farm for nearly his entire life.

His parents planted their first crop in Arizona more than 80 years ago, and Wuertz can mark the passage of time through the growing seasons. Plant the seeds in March, last water in September, harvest in October or November, depending on the weather.

But Wuertz's life, although bucolic, has been busy, and the change has been nearly constant.

And although he used to hitch horses to drag the equipment that helped his parents work their land, his cotton fields in Coolidge now are plowed by satellite-guided tractors. He holds five patents in new farming technology.

Still, one simple aspect remains the best: the beauty of watching things grow.